Locator in a crimping tool for an electrical connector



April 7, 1970 G. J. FlLlA 3,504,417

LOCATOR IN A CRIMPING TOOL FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 29, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

650.?65 F/L M JTTOZNEY April 7, 1970 G. J. FILIA 3,504,417

LOCATOR' INz A CRIMPING TOOL FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 29, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BY Wad G. J. FlLlA April 7, 1970 LOCATOR IN. A CRIMPING TOOL FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 29, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 liq/-75 II A INVENTOR.

650265 J. F74 M p/M &. @awdl Jrraemsy April 7, 1970 3,504,417

LOCATOR'EIN A CRIMPING TOOL FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 29, 1968 G, J. FILIA 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Gaaza: J. PM /A BY (,5. gala 1d 47-70mm y April 7, 1970 G. J. FILIA 3,504,417

LOCATORQIN A CRIMPING TOOL FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 29, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 606 F/L/A United States Patent 3,504,417 LOCATOR IN A CRIMPING TOOL FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR George J. Filia, Shelton, Conn., assignor to Sargent &

Company, New Haven, Co'nn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 709,249 Int. Cl. H01r 43/04; B21f 15/06 US. Cl. 29-203 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is provided in a crimping tool for an electrical connector, which tool is of the hand type having a pair of cooperating crimping dies relatively movable to approach one another and separate, a pivotal work locator swingable mannually to a position across corresponding ends and the dies, which defines an opening through which the work extends, and generally of platelike form. The locator is engageable with a conductor to locate it with reference to the dies and is provided with stop means for stopping the locator in angularly adjusted positions.

This invention relates to a locator for an electrical terminal or connector for crimping of the latter about a wire by a hand tool with which the locator is associated and supported. Such crimping tools commonly comprise a pair of die-carrying jaws in a plier-type tool, which jaws may either have a pivotal action for cooperation with one another or a parallel action. The tool may have a pair of handle members in pivotal relation to one another which ar pivoted by the operators hands to effect a crimping operation through closing movement of the dies. The handle members are usually spring biased to their open or separated position and manipulated by the operator to their closed positions against this spring bias. It is through force exterted by the operator on the handle members that a crimping operation is effected.

Such crimping tools also commonly comprise a tool such as illustrated and described in US. Patent No. 3,204,445, of Sept. 7, 1965, wherein there is provided in ahand tool the combination of an elongated body providing a handle portion at one end thereof and having at the other end thereof a head portion supporting in fixed relation a crimping die, a plunger mounted for sliding movement in the body toward and away from the die and carrying a second die for cooperation with the first die, and a pivotal handle having operative means of connection to the plunger to move the second die toward and away from the first die on swinging movements of the last-mentioned handle.

It is not uncommon in such tools to provide a motioncompelling mechanism for the handle members so that after initial closing movement for the handles they may not be returned to their open positions until the handles have moved sufficiently in a closing direction to effect a satisfactory crimp. This feature is employed to insure adequateclosing of the crimping dies on the work. It will be apparent that if the dies are not closed to this extent, the desired physical and electrical properties in the work may not be obtained.

Considerable difiiculty has been encountered heretofore in the use of such tools in forming by a crimping operation a satisfactory electrical end mechanical connection between the terminal or connector and the wire owing to improper positioning or locating of the terminal with reference to the crimping dies prior to the crimping operation. Such a connector may have a barrel portion which may be open ended and provided at one end with a tongue which must be properly positioned with reference to the dies axially thereof to assure a proper crimp. It is also necessary in the use of most, if not all, such tools for crimping such terminals to angularly orientate the terminal so that the protruding tongue thereof has a particular angular relationship with reference to the dies before a crimping operation.

It is important in placing the terminal intermediate the open dies that the portion of the barrel from which the tongue protrudes is backed by one of the dies so as to give it a solid support and that this barrel portion be backed by a particular one of the dies. It is also desirable to hold the terminal in these axial and angular positions prior to a crimping operation and to further provide means to stop a wire inserted into the openended terminal so that the wire will be extended sufficiently into the terminal, but not too far, to insure best electrical results in the crimped product.

Known prior work locators in many instances have been subject to a variety of shortcomings when employed for crimping terminals of the type described above. For example, such locators have failed to effectively inhibit the improper positioning by an operator of such a terminal between the jaws of a crimping tool. In at least some instances it has been found that in the use of such locators it has been somewhat difficult for the operator to position the terminal in the jaws for a crimping operation. Some tools equipped with locators have lacked simple, effective means to axially and angularly orientate a terminal with reference to the crimping dies and axially orientate a wire inserted in a terminal, and some have lacked effective means to hold a terminal in properly orientated position prior to a crimping operation. Some devices of the prior art, such as described above, have not provided for stop means for a moveable work locator, which may be of the pivotally mounted type, useful for crimping a plurality of types of connectors.

One object of the invention is to provide a terminal or connector locator which inhibits improper positioning by an operator of a terminal such as described between the dies of such a crimping tool.

A further object is to provide a work locator which axially orientates such a terminal and tends to angularly orientate it.

Still another object is to provide a worklocator for a tool such as described, having a motion-compelling mechanism for the dies thereof, which very effectively holds the terminal in proper position for a crimping operation.

Another object is to provide a movable locator and holder such as described above Which is of simplified construction and dependable in operation which may serve as a wire stop, which is provided with stop means so as to be useful as a locator but capable of being moved to an inoperative position. 1

Still another object is to provide a pivotal work locator which is swingable manually to a position across corresponding ends of the dies of the crimping tool which supports it, which locator defines an'opening through which the work extends and is generally of platelikeform, the locator being provided with detent means for holding the former in angularly adjusted positions.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of tWo forms of the terminal locator.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating a hand tool equipped with a locator for an electrical connector, embodying the invention, with the handles of the tool and also the crimping dies thereof being shown in their open or separated positions;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view looking at the right-hand end of the tool as viewed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the side thereof remote from that shown in FIG. 1, also illustrating the handles and dies in their relatively closed positions;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational View of the tool in the condition of FIG. 4, looking at the left end of the tool as viewed in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary bottom view of the tool of FIG. 1 but illustrating the parts of the tool in their closed condition;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged elevational view taken on line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but further illustrating the modified form;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the tool of FIG. 8 showing the parts of the tool in the condition shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 1111 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of the tool showing the same end shown in FIG. 9 but with the dies closed;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 8 but on a larger scale and showing the dies of the tool closed;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 13 but showing the work locator in another angular position and cooperating with a different type of terminal or connector with the dies being shown partly open;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 1515 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary plan view of the tool with the dies in closed condition; and

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the tool of the modified form showing the side thereof remote from the side shown in FIG. 8.

In the drawings in the form of FIGS. 1 through 7 there is illustrated by way of example a crimping tool provided with dies of the pivotal type and having handles 10 and 11 (FIG. 1) which may be covered throughout a portion of their length with an insulating material formed of plastic to be gripped by the operator. The handles 10 and 11 are pivotally connected as at 12 by a pin which extends through a portion of the handle 11 receiving a portion of the handle 10. The handles 10 and 11 at their ends remote from the portions thereof gripped by the operator are provided with pivot pins 13. A pair of jaws 14 are provided for pivotal support, one on each pin 13. Each pin 13 extends through one end of the corresponding jaw. The jaws 14 are pivotally interconnected through a pair of plates 15 supporting pivots 16, 16 therebetween. The last-mentioned pivots support the jaws by extending therethrough, the jaws being pivotally mounted in the aforesaid manner for conventional togglelike action on swinging movement of the handles 10 and 11 relatively to one another.

The jaws carry therebetween a pin 17 on which they have a rocking movement for proper positioning of the jaws relatively to one another, the pin 17 being held captive between the plates 15. One jaw 14 carries in fixed relation thereto a crimping die indicated generally at 18 while the other jaw carries in similar manner a cooperating crimping die indicated generally at 19.

The tool is provided with a motion-compelling mechanism for the purpose previously described comprising, generally speaking, a toothed element 20 pivoted to the handle 10 at 21 and a toothed element 22 secured to the handle 11 for cooperation with the first-mentioned toothed element of the motion-compelling mechanism. The teeth of these elements are not shown.

The tool elements previously referred to, including the motion-compelling mechanism, need not be described in further detail as hes pa ts of the ool a e Well d sc ose 4 and described in US. Patent No. 3,277,751, issued Oct. 11, 1966, and their details form no part of the present invention.

The work locator of the present invention is positioned on the left side of the tool as viewed in FIG. 2 and is indicated generally at 24. The work locator comprises a platelike part 25 shown to advantage in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 which, as indicated in FIG. 1, has a fingerlike extension 26 extending from one end thereof. As shown in FIG. 3, an opening 27 extends through the plate 25. The opening 27 is elongated lengthwise of the plate 25 and extends through the other end thereof. This opening is defined along one side thereof by a flange 28 turned inwardly or in the direction of the jaws 14. The plate 25 is provided intermediate of its ends with an edge portion 29 which is illustrated as being straight and inclined with respect to the aforementioned plate extension 26 at one end thereof and also with respect to a straight edge portion at the other end portion of the plate. The plate 25 is pivoted on the aforementioned pivot pin 16 which extends therethrough intermediate the ends of the plate 25. The plate 25 overlies the corresponding one of the pair of plates 15, which plates 15 support the pivots 16 and 16' as aforesaid.

Near the side edge of the plate opening 27 opposite the flange 28 the plate is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced openings through which headed fasteners 30 extend. Each fastener 30 extends through the plate 25 in the manner best shown in FIG. 3 illustrating one of these fasteners. Each fastener is threaded for reception, as indicated in the last-mentioned view, in an internally threaded boss 31 formed on a back-up plate 32 which sandwiches between the latter and the plate 25 a fiat element having the appearance of a plate, formed of resilient rubberlike material which is indicated at 33. The element 33 is provided with suitable apertures receiving the respective bosses 31 of the plate 32, in the manner shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in the last-mentioned view, the element 33 underlies the opening 27 in the plate 25 so as to substantially close it. The resilient element 33 may terminate at or just' short of the flange 28. The resilient element 33 and the backing plate 32, which are substantially coextensive in area, underlie a relatively small portion of the plate 25, though the resilient member 33, as shown in FIG. 3, extends beyond the backing member 32 in the area of the aforementioned opening 27 in the plate 25. It will b understood from the foregoing that the resilient member 33 is firmly supported from the work-locator plate 25.

A spring plate, indicated generally at 35, is provided for cooperation with the work-locator plate 25. It comprises a body portion 36 elongated transversely of the aws of the tool and apertured to receive therethrough the pivots 16 and 16 at opposite ends of the body. The spring plate 35 overlies the work-locator plate 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the pivot pin 16 is headed at both ends, one of these heads directly overlying the spring plate. The spring plate 35 has the same relationship with reference to the pivot pin 16'. However, the spring plate in this area extends beyond the work-locator plate 25 and is spaced from the corresponding plate 15 by a washer 37.

The spring plate 35 has a finger 38 extending at right angles to the body portion 36 at the lower end thereof as viewed in FIG. 1, and has a finger 39 at the same end of the body portion 36 extending in the opposite direction. Detent means are provided between the spring plate 35 and the locator plate 25 to releasa-bly hold the latter in a plurality of angularly adjusted positions thereof and, more specifically, detent means between the fingers 38 and 39 of the spring plate and the plate 25. To this end there is illustrated by way of example a rounded protuberance 40 on the distal end portion of the finger 38 and a rounded protuberance 41 on the distal end portion of th y finger 39. The aforementioned protuberances 40 and 41 p at re pec i ly with recesses or sockets 42 and 43 formed in the plate 25. It will be noted that, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the socket 42 is formed in the plate 25 at the side of the opening 27 in the plate which is provided with the flange 28, while socket 43 is formed in the distal end portion of the plate extension 26.

The work-locator plate 25 is swingable on the axis of the pivot 16 from the full-line position of FIG. 1 in which the aforesaid detent means 40, 42 is operative to releasably hold the work-locator plate 25 in this position, to the broken-line position of FIG. 1 in which the aforesaid detent means 41, 43 is operative to releasably hold the work-locator plate 25 in the last-mentioned position. The washer 37 on the pivot pin 16 may act as an abutment to prevent further swinging movement of the workloactor plate 25 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1.

The aforementioned crimping dies, indicated generally at 18, on one of the jaws 14 comprises in the illustrated form two die cavities 44 and 45 longitudinally spaced apart on the last-mentioned jaw, each being adapted to receiv an electrical connector such as characterized above of a somewhat different dimension. The die cavities 44 and 45 cooperate respectively with die cavities 44 and 45 formed in the die 19. It will be noted that as shown in full lines in FIG. 1 the resilient member 33 extends lengthwise of the jaws beyond the cavities of the dies 18 and 19 and extends beyond the bottoms of the die cavities 44 and 45 toward the complemental die cavities of the die 19.

The tool provided with the work locator is useful for crimping various types of terminals or connectors about a wire, one such type being shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example, and indicated generally at 46. The connector 46 has a ferrule or barrel-like portion 47 forming an electrical conductor which has an outer covering of insulating material. Projecting axially from one end of the openended barrel 47 is a spade or tongue 48 formed integrally with the conductor portion of the barrel. The tongue 48 may be apertured, not shown, to receive an electrical binding post of an electrical connection, not shown. To crimp the connector 46 about the end portion of a wire 49, the insulation on the wire is stripped back a distance from the end so that the connector portion of the barrel 47 may be crimped to the bare wire while another crimp is made between the barrel and the insulation of the wire, to provide the desired electrical and physical characteristics between the wire and the terminal or connector. The operation of the tool to effect such a crimp will appear hereinafter.

While the jaws of the tool are open, as shown in FIG. 1, and the motion-compelling mechanism, including the elements 20 and 22 are disengaged and rendered inoperative and while the work-locator plate 25 is in the fullline position of FIG. 1, the connector is inserted in the tool so that the tongue 48 thereof slips between the resilient member 33 carried by the work-locator plate 25 and the flange 28 provided on the latter with the tongue 48 angularly arranged with reference to th corresponding selected dies so that the tongue 48 abuts the flange 28 of the work locator in flatwise relationship and is strongly backed thereby with the resilient member 33 holding the tongue in this position.

When the connector 46 is inserted in the tool in this manner, axial movement thereof is limited by the flange 28 of the work locator, the end surface 28 (see FIG. 3) of which provides an abutment for engagement by the corresponding end of the barrel portion 47 of the connector to thereby form a work stop. The jaws of the tool may thereafter be closed to some extent to engage the motion-compelling mechanism, including the elements 20 and 22 with one another, so that the jaws of the tool lightly grip the barrel portion 47 of the connector before effecting a crimping action. While the connector is gripped in this manner, the aforementioned end of the wire 49 may be inserted in the connector with the operator using one hand on the wire for this purpose and supporting the tool by the other hand. Insertion of the wire into the connector and tool is limited by engagement of the end of the wire by the resilient member 33 which acts as a wire stop as best shown in FIG. 3. Thus the connector may be very firmly held in the tool prior to and during insertion of the wire into the connector prior to a crimping operation after the locator has axially and angularly positioned the connector in proper relationship to the dies for a subsequent crimping operation. When the work is assembled in the tool in the aforesaid manner, the handles of the tool may be swung from the positions of FIG. 1 to the positions of FIG. 4 wherein the diesare in closed condition. The crimped connector is shown to advantage in the tool in FIG. 7.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the function of the motion-compelling mechanism, including the elements 20 and 22, is to prevent reopening of the dies 18 and 19 until they have closed sufiiciently to effect a satisfactory crimp. Thereafter the handles of the tool may be opened for removal of the work from the tool. The work may be removed merely by pulling it to the right, as viewed in FIG. 7, after the dies have reopened, thereby stripping the work from the tool and slipping the tongue of the connector or terminal out of the work locator.

If the tool is employed for crimping connectors of a type not adapted to be received or acted upon by the work locator, prior to insertion of such a connector into the tool the work-locator plate 25 is swung out of the way to the broken-line position of FIG. 1 by manipulation as by the thumb of the operator on the plate extension 26 so as to move in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1. In the last-mentioned position, the work-locator plate 25 is releasably held by the aforesaid detent means 41, 43. The work locator of this form of the invention may also be used to engage terminals or connectors of another type, which connectors are described first with reference to the use of the modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 to 17.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 through 17 the basic tool with the exception of the work locator indicated generally at 52 is generally similar to the tool shown in FIG. 1 with like reference numerals indicating identical parts. The tool is provided with a pair of jaws 53 similar to the jaws 14 previously described and supported in the tool in a similar manner for the same type of action through operation of the handles 10 and 11. In this illustrated form, the configuration of the dies carried by the jaws is different, one die being indicated at 54 on one jaw 53 and the die cooperating therewith on the other jaw 53 at 55.

The work locator 52 comprises a platelike part 56 shown to advantage in FIGS. 8, 9, 14 and 16, for example, which, as indicated in FIG. 14, has a fingerlike extension 57 extending from one end thereof. As shown in the last-mentioned view, an irregularly shaped opening 58 extends through the plate 56. The opening 58 is elongated lengthwise of the plate 56 and extends through the other end thereof. As viewed in FIG. 14, the means defining the opening 58 at the left side thereof presents an enlargement intermediate the ends of the elongated opening. The inner and outer faces of the plate 56 are planar as shown. The plate 56 is provided intermediate of its ends with an edge portion 59 which is illustrated as being straight and inclined with respect to the plate extension 57 at one end thereof and also with respect to a substantially straight edge portion at the other end of the plate. The plate 56 is pivoted on the pivot pin 16 which extends therethrough intermediate the ends of the plate 56. The plate 56 overlies the corresponding one of the pair of plates 15. The plates 15 support the pivots 16 and 16' as aforesaid.

A spring plate indicated generally at 61 is provided for cooperation with the work-locator plate 56. It comprises a body portion 62 elongated transversely of the jaws of the tool and apertured to receive therethrough the pivots 16 and 16 at opposite ends of the body. The spring plate 61 overlies the work-locator plate 56. As shown in FIG. 15, the pivot pin 16 is headed at both ends, one of these heads directly overlying the spring plate. The spring plate 61 has the same relationship with reference to the pivot pin 16'. However, the spring plate in this area extendsv beyond the work locator plate 56 and is spaced from the corresponding plate by a washer 63, as shown in the last-mentioned view.

The spring plate 56 has a finger 64 extending at right angles to the body portion 62 at the left-hand end thereof, as viewed in FIG. 14, and extending upwardly. Detent means are provided between the spring plate 61 and the locator plate 56 to releasably hold the latter in a plurality of angularly adjusted positions thereof, the detent means being disposed between the finger 64 and the plate 56. To this end there is illustrated by way of example a rounded protuberance 65 (FIG. 16) on the distal end portion of the finger 64 which cooperates selectively depending upon the angular position of the locator plate 56, with recesses or sockets 66 and 67 formed in the plate 56. The socket 66 is located to the right of the plate opening 58, as shown in FIG. 14, intermediate the ends of the plate, while the socket 67 is located to the left of this opening as shown in this view and at the upper end portion of the plate 56.

The work-locator plate 56 is swingable on the axis of the pivot 16 from the full-line position of FIG. 14 in which the aforesaid detent means 65, 67 is operative to releasably hold the work-locator plate 56 in this position to the broken-line position of FIG. 14 in which the aforesaid detent means 65, 66 is operative to releasably hold the work-locator plate 56 in the last-mentioned position. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the locator plate 56 may be swung to an intermediate position, such as that shown in FIG. 8. In the last-mentioned position of the locator plate 56 the protuberance 65 of the spring plate 61 bears against a flat surface portion of the plate 56. The washer 63 on the pivot 61 may act as an abutment to prevent further swinging movement of the worklocator plate 56 in a counterclockwise direction from the broken-line position of FIG. 14.

The tool of the form shown in FIGS. 8 through 17 is useful for crimping various types of terminals or connectors about a wire, one such type being shown in FIGS. 8 through 11 and indicated generally at 71. This connector is of the butt type used for joining two wires electrically and physically in end-to-encl relationship. As best shown in FIG. 11, it comprises a ferrule or barrellike portion 72 forming an electrical conductor which has an outer covering of insulating material 73. In the form of the butt-type connector shown in FIG. 11, both the barrel 72 and the insulating cover 73 are notched. The notch in the insulation which conforms with the notch in the barrel is indicated at 74 and this notch is disposed midway between the ends of the connector. To crimp the connector 71 about the end portion of a wire 75, the insulation on the wire is stripped back a distance from the end so that the conductor portion of one end of the barrel 72 may be crimped to the bare wire while another crimp is made between the barrel and the insulation of the wire to provide the desired lectrical and physical characteristics between the wire and the terminal or connector. Then the connector with the wire 75 crimped thereto is removed from the tool and reversed therein so that a similar wire may be crimped to the other end of the connector. The operation of the tool to effect such a crimp will appear hereinafter.

While the jaws of the tool are open, as shown in FIG. 8, and the motion-compelling mechanism, including the elements 20 and 22 are disengaged and rendered inoperative and while the work-locator plate 56 is in the broken-line position of FIG. 14, the connector 71 is inserted in the tool and indexed with reference to the locator plate 56 so that by movement of the work-locator plate from the detent, broken-line position of FIG, 14 as by the thumb of the operator in a clockwise direction, the work-locator plate may be swung to the position of FIG. 8 into the notch 74 in the connector and thereby hold it in this position, as indicated in FIG. 11. Thus the connector is properly axially oriented (FIG. 10) with reference to the dies 54 and 55 of the crimping tool.

After the connector 71 is inserted in the tool in this manner axial movement thereof is limited by the worklocator plate 56, the side faces of which oppose the corresponding side faces of the notch 74 in the connector with the edge portion 59 of the work-locator plate bottoming in the notch. The jaws of the tool may thereafter be closed to some extent to engage the motioncompelling mechanism including the elements 20 and 22 with one another, so that the jaws of the tool lightly grip the connector before effecting a crimping action. While the connector is gripped in this manner, the aforementioned end of the wire 75 may be inserted in the connector with the operator using one hand on the wire for this purpose and supporting the tool by the other hand. Thus the connector may be very firmly held in the tool prior to and during insertion of the wire into the connector prior to a crimping operation after the locator has axially positioned the connector in proper relationship to the dies for a subsequent crimping operation. When assembled in the tool in the aforesaid manner, the handles of the tool may be swung from the positions of FIG. 8 to the closed positions of FIG. 17 wherein the dies are in closed condition as best shown in FIG. 13. In the last-mentioned view, the work locator is shown in operative position in full lines and in the inoperative position in broken lines. FIG. 12 illustrates the crimped connector in the tool, Thereafter the dies may be opened in the aforementioned manner and the work-locator plate returned to the broken-line position of FIG. 13 after which the work may be stripped from the tool and then reinserted in the tool so that the ends of the connector shown in FIG. 10 are reversed with reference to the dies and the work locator. Thereafter a wire may be similarly crimped so that the wire 75 is physically and electrically joined to another wire, not shown, in end-to-end relationship.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the work locator of this form of the invention may be employed with butt-type connectors which are not of the type having the aforementioned notch 74 therein but which may have an external diameter substantially uniform from end to end, not shown. When the last-mentioned type of connector is crimped in the tool, the operator may visually index the work-locator plate 56 with reference to the central region of the connector and move it from the broken-line position of FIG. 14 to a position in which the edge 59 abuts and rests against the outer surface of the connector.

The work locator of FIGS. 1 through 7 may also be employed with butt connectors of the above-discussed types, that is, the edge 29 of the locator plate 25 may be used to enter and axially locate the notch of a notched connector such as shown in FIG. 11 or, if the connector is of the other butt type discussed above, may rest against the cylindrical surface thereof, in the manner discussed above with reference to the locator of the form of FIGS. 8 through 17. Also it will be noted with reference to both forms of the invention in connection with the use therewith of connectors of the tongue type, that the tongue as viewed broadly need not be of the kind to receive an electrical binding post and, in fact, may be viewed only as a conductor protuberance at one end of the barrel of the connector. It will also be appreciated that in both forms of the work locator the detent means between the locator plate and the cooperating spring plate may be viewed broadly as including stop means between the support means for the dies and the locator plate to stop swinging movement of the 10- 9 cator plate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 14.

However, it should be further noted that even without this detent means angular movement of the locator plate in each instance in a clockwise direction may be limited by engagement of the plate as with the washer on the pivot pin 16'. It may be noted for reference in the claims appended hereto that the plane of the work locator plate in each form of the tool is transverse of the axes of the dies, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 16, and that the locator plate is swingable on an axis parallel thereto. In the illustrated forms of the invention the connectors shown which are of the type having conductor protuberances at one end, have barrel portions which are circumferentially continuous. Some connectors generally of this type are not circumferentially continuous but are split lengthwise.

The work locator of the last-mentioned form may also be employed to crimp connectors of a type similar to that shown in FIG. 3. While the jaws of the tool are open as shown in FIG. 8, the motion-compelling mechanism, including the elements 20 and 22, are disengaged and rendered inoperative and while the work-locator plate is in the full-line detent position of FIG. 14, the connector, indicated generally at 78, is inserted in the tool so that the tongue 79 thereof is parallel to and nearest the straight edge 58 defining a portion of the boundary of the opening 58 in the plate 56. The axial movementof the con nector into the tool is stopped by the inner side face of the work-locator plate 56 adjacent the edge 58 thereof which provides an abutment for the near end of the barrel 80 of the connector, axially locating the connector with reference to the dies of the tool. The aforementioned edge 58 of the Work-locator plate 56 tends to prevent angular misalignment of the connector tongue 79 by engagement therewith in substantially fiatwise relationship.

The jaws of the tool may thereafter be closed to some extent to engage the motion-compelling mechanism, including the elements 20 and 22, one with another, so that the jaws of the tool lightly grip the barrel 80 of the connector before effecting a crimping action. The connector, when gripped in this fashion, may be angularly adjusted manually, if necessary, so that the tongue thereof is parallel to the edge 58 of the connector plate. While the connector is gripped in this manner, a wire 81 having a stripped end may be inserted in the connector with the operator using one hand on the wire for this purpose and supporting the tool by the other hand. Insertion of the wire into the connector and the tool is not limited by the Work holder in this form of the invention, and the extent of insertion of the wire into the connector is left to the operator. Thus here again the connector may be very firmly held in the tool prior to and during insertion of the wire into the connector prior to a crimping operation after the locator has axially and angularly positioned the connector in proper relationship to the dies for a subsequent crimping operation. Again, when the work is as sembled in the tool in the aforesaid manner, the handles of the tool may be swung from the positions of FIG. 8 to the positions of FIG. 17 wherein the dies are in closed condition. The crimped connector may thereafter be stripped from the tool on reopening of the dies as by a pull on the wire to which the connector is crimped in a direction away from the work locator.

While two forms of the work locator in a crimping tool have been illustrated in the drawings and described above, it will be apparent to those versed in the art that the combination in a crimping tool may take other forms and is susceptible of various changes in details without departing from the principles of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a crimping tool of the hand type, a pair of cooperating crimping dies, support means for the dies comprising a pair of elements relatively shiftable and supporting the dies for relative movement toward and away from one another, a pair of relatively pivotal handles having operative means of connection to said support elements for operating the dies, and a work locator for an electrical connector having a ferrule part to be crimped about a wire and, projecting from one end of the ferrule part, a conductor protuberance, said work locator comprising a locator plate pivoted intermediate of its ends on one of said support elements on an axis parallel to the axis of the mould formed by the dies and extensible across cooperating ones of the ends of the dies, said locator plate having a portion thereof opposing said end of one die in the extended position of the plate, said plate having an opening therein at one end portion thereof, adjoining said plate portion, for receiving therein said conductor protuberance, the means defining said opening coacting with the conductor protuberance to angularly orientate the connector when said plate is in the last-mentioned position thereof and the work is inserted intermediate the dies, said plate portion in the last-named position of the plate acting as an abutment for said ferrule end to axially orientate the connector with reference to the dies, and said work-locator plate having a fingerlike extension at the other end thereof for manipulation of the plate on its axis, and said work locator also comprising a substantially flat spring element superimposed on said locator plate, the plate and the spring element having coacting detent means to releasably hold the plate in said extended position and in another and out-of-the-way position, the locator plate being swingable to an intermediate indexing position for use with connectors of a different type, the last-named connectors being of the butt type and having a side wall structure, said locator plate having in the indexing position an edge engageable with the side wall structure of such a connector to be crimped in the tool.

2. A crimping tool as defined in claim 1 wherein the handles of the tool are provided with coacting elements of a motion-compelling mechanism to compel closing movement of the dies and wherein the motion-compelling mechanism may be rendered operative so that the dies lightly grip the connector prior to a crimping operation so that a wire may be inserted in the connector when the connector is so held.

3. A crimping tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said pair of elements supporting the dies comprise toggleoperated jaws each having a pivot pin intermediate the ends thereof, the pair of pivot pins having a common support member which extends between the jaws in angularly fixed relationship, said handles being pivoted to corresponding ends of the jaws, said locator plate being superimposed on said common support member and being pivoted for said swinging movement thereof on one of said pair of pivots.

4. A crimping tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said pair of elements supporting the dies comprise toggleoperated jaws each having a pivot pin intermediate the ends thereof, the pair of pivot pins having a common support member which extends between the jaws in angularly fixed relationship, said handles being pivoted to corresponding ends of the jaws, said locator plate being superimposed on said common support member and being pivoted for said swinging movement thereof on one of said pair of pivots, said fiat spring element being supported by both of said pair of pivots in angularly fixed relation to said common support member.

5. A crimping tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said pair of elements supporting the dies comprise toggle-operated jaws each having a pivot pin intermediate the ends thereof, the pair of pivot pins having a common support member which extends between the jaws in angularly fixed relationship, said handles being pivoted to corresponding ends of the jaws, said locator plate being super-imposed on said common support member and being pivoted for said swinging movement thereof on one of said pair of pivots, said fiat spring element being supported by both of said pair of pivots in angularly fixed relation to said common support member, said flat spring element having a finger like extension and said detent means between the worklocator plate and the spring element being formed in part on said extension of the spring element.

6. In a crimping tool of the hand type, a pair of cooperating crimping dies, support means for the dies comprising a pair of elements relatively shiftable and supporting the dies for relative movement toward and away from one another, a pair of relatively pivotal handles having operative means of connection to said support elements for operating the dies, and a work locator for an electrical connector to be crimped about a wire and having a ferrule part and, projecting from one end of the latter, a conductor protuberance, said work locator comprising a locator plate pivotally mounted on one of said support elements on an axis parallel to the axis of the mould formed by the dies and extensible across cooperating ones of the ends of the dies, said locator plate having a portion thereof opposing said end of one die in the extended position of the plate, said plate having an opening therein adjoining said plate portion, said work locator also comprising a deformable resilient member carried by said plate part coacting with an edge portion of the means defining said opening, to receive therebetween the conductor protuberance to angularly orientate the connector when said plate is in the last-mentioned position thereof and the work is inserted intermediate the dies, so that said conductor protuberance is held against the last-mentioned edge portion, said plate portion in the last-named position of the plate acting as an abutment for said ferrule end to axially orientate the connector with reference to the dies, and the work locator further comprising coacting stop means on the support means and the locator plate to stop movement of the latter on its axis in the last-mentioned angular position.

7. A crimping tool as defined in claim 6 wherein said plate portion of the locator plate which serves as an abutment for said end of the ferrule part of the connector comprises an inwardly extending flange which defines said edge portion of the opening in the locator plate, and wherein said resilient member of the work locator is of rubberlike material, supported from said locator plate at the side of the opening therein opposite the flange and extending towards said flange to substantially close the opening in the work-locator plate and to provide a wire stop.

8. A crimping tool as defined in claim 7 wherein the work-locator plate is pivoted intermediate of its ends for said pivotal movement thereof and has a fingerlike extension at one end thereof for manipulation of the plate on its axis, and wherein coacting means is provided between said support means and the locator plate to releasably hold the latter in an inoperative and out-of-the-way position.

9. A crimping tool asdefined in claim 7 wherein the handles of the tool are provided with coacting elements of a motion-compelling mechanism to compel closing movement of the dies and wherein the motion-compelling mechanism may be rendered operative so that the dies lightly grip the connector prior to a crimping operation so that a wire may be inserted in the connector when the connector is so held.

10. A crimping tool as defined in claim 7 wherein said coacting stop means between the locator plate and the support means comprises a substantially flat spring element providing a detent between the latter and the work-locator plate in said extended position and a detent between the last-two-mentioned elements in an inoperative and out-ofthe-Way position of the locator plate.

11. A crimping tool as defined in claim 7 wherein said pair of elements supporting the dies comprise toggleoperated jaws each having a pivot pin intermediate the ends thereof, the pair of pivot pins having a common support member which extends between the jaws in angularly fixed relationship, said handles being pivoted to corresponding ends of the jaws, said locator plate being superimposed on said common support member and being pivoted for said swinging movement thereof on one of said pair of pivots.

12. A crimping tool as defined in claim 7 wherein said coacting stop means between the locator plate and the support means comprises a substantially flat spring element providing a detent between the latter and the worklocator plate in said extended position and a detent between the last-two-mentioned elements in an inoperative and out-of-the-way position of the locator plate, the locator plate being swingable to an intermediate indexing position for use with connectors of a different type, the last-named connectors being of the butt type and having a side wall structure, said locator plate having in the indexing position an edge engageable with the side wall structure of such a connector to be crimped in the tool.

13. A crimping tool as defined in claim 7 wherein the work-locator plate is pivoted intermediate of its ends for said pivotal movement thereof and has a fingerlike extension at one end thereof for manipulation of the plate on its axis, and wherein coacting means is provided between said support means and the locator plate to releasably hold the latter in an inoperative and out-of-the-way position.

14. A crimping tool as defined in claim 7 wherein said coacting stop means between the locator plate and the support means comprises a substantially flat spring element providing a detent between the latter and the Worklocator plate in said extended position and a detent between the last-two-mentioned elements in an inoperative and out-of-the-way position of the locator plate.

15. A crimping tool as defined in claim 7 wherein said pair of elements supporting the dies comprise toggle-operated jaws, each having a pivot pin intermediate the ends thereof, the pair of pivot pins having a common support member which extends between the jaws in angularly fixed relationships, said handles being pivoted to corresponding ends of the jaws, said locator plate being superimposed on said common support member and being pivoted for swinging movement thereof on one of said pair of pivots.

16. A crimping tool as defined in claim 15 wherein the work-locator plate is pivoted intermediate of its ends for said pivotal movement thereof and has a fingerlike extension at one end thereof for manipulation of the plate on its axis and wherein coacting means is provided between said support means and the locator plate to releasably hold the latter in an inoperative and out-of-the-way position.

' 17. A crimping tool as defined in claim 16 wherein said coacting stop means between the locator plate and the support means comprises a substantially flat spring element providing a detent between the latter and the work-locator plate in said extended position and a detent between the last-two-mentioned element in the inoperative and out-ofthe-way position of the locator plate, said spring element being superimposed on said locator plate and being supported in angularly fixed relationship to said common support member by said pair of pivots extending through said spring element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,684,004 7/1954 Holtzapple 29-203 3,204,445 9/1965 Filia 724l0 3,281,926 11/1966 Frastaci et al 29203 3,315,337 4/1967 Stull 29-203 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R, 72-41O 

